Jalen Carter, a defensive lineman for the University of Georgia, has been issued an arrest warrant for his alleged involvement in a fatal January car crash that claimed the lives of a teammate and a UGA recruiting staffer.
The Athens-Clarke County Police Department issued the warrant for Carter on a charge of reckless driving and racing after an investigation determined that he and Chandler LeCroy, a UGA staffer, were allegedly street racing shortly before the crash. LeCroy was driving a Ford Expedition that left the road at a high rate of speed and crashed into two telephone poles, killing LeCroy and UGA offensive lineman Devin Willock.
According to the police report, Carter was seen at the scene of the crash and left before emergency personnel arrived. He returned to the scene approximately 90 minutes after the crash, reportedly at the request of UGA director of player support and operations Bryant Gantt.
The investigation determined that both Carter and LeCroy were driving at high rates of speed in an apparent attempt to outdistance each other. Evidence indicated that shortly before the crash the Expedition was traveling at about 104 miles per hour, and LeCroy’s blood alcohol concentration was .197 at the time of the crash.
Despite the recent charges, Carter is still seen as one of the best defensive players in the draft and a potential No. 1 overall pick. He has played a key role for Georgia as the Bulldogs have won back-to-back national titles.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart released a statement calling the charges “deeply concerning” and saying the school will continue to cooperate with the authorities and support the families of the victims.
Carter was scheduled to speak to reporters as part of the NFL combine Wednesday morning, but that appearance was canceled as the NFL said Carter was still in medical testing and would be unable to talk.
It remains to be seen how the recent charges will affect his draft stock and the decisions of NFL teams. What is certain, however, is that the tragic crash has had a devastating impact on the Georgia football community.
